Who To Follow On The Day Three Of The Ebor Meeting 2023

James Mackie | @JMackieRacing

York - August 24 2023
York 13:25
4(5)
Oisin Murphy

Coltrane

J: Oisin Murphy
T: Andrew Balding
N/A
Age: 6
Weight: 9-5
OR: 117
Days: 24

One of the feature races of the afternoon on Friday from York is the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup and we are giving a final chance to Coltrane for Andrew Balding.

He took his form to a new level last term when finishing a good second in the Chester Vase in May last term and off the back of that came into the Ascot Stakes at Royal Ascot last year and went on to take the event from the well handicapped Bring On The Night off a mark of 98.

He built on that to make it back to back wins in the Listed Coral Marathon at Sandown and then ran another cracker to finish just over four lengths back in fourth in the Group One Goodwood Cup behind Kyprios, Stradivarius and Trueshan.

Seen three more times before the end of the season he was second at York behind the runaway winner Quickthorn in the Group Two Lonsdale Cup and then got back to winning ways in the Group Two Doncaster Stakes, seeing off the smart stayer Trueshan.

Finishing the season off at Ascot in the Group Two Long Distance Cup he was just pipped by the three time winner of the race Trueshan.

Back this season starting at Ascot over two miles in the Group Three Sagaro Stakes he looked better than ever when pulling away from a good field to bolt up.

He was last seen at Royal Ascot in the Group One Gold Cup and in a humdinger of a race he was seen off late on by the younger less exposed Courage Mon Ami.

Dropping back to two miles when last seen in the Group One Goodwood Cup the race turned into a mess with Quickthorn not seeing another rival going from the front under Tom Marquand.

They will not let the same happen again and Coltrane finished a good third that day but should have been second and threw that place away in being the main chaser to the leader.

He handles York extremely well having won the Melrose Handicap in 2020 and also was second in this race last year. He's a big player getting 3lb off Quickthorn and Courage Mon Ami.

Trainer To Follow - John & Thady Gosden

John & Thady Gosden send just two runners to York on Friday and both of them hold leading chances which makes the partnership the trainers to follow.

In the first event of the day the Gosden's field Intinso in the Sky Bet Handicap over 1m4f with the colt stepping up to this trip last time out and running a career best.

Their big runner of the afternoon comes in the Group Two Lonsdale Cup with Gold Cup winner at Royal Ascot Courage Mon Ami looking to give a better showing than he did in the Goodwood Cup.

The yard are currently going great guns running at a strike rate of 25% for the last two weeks, managing to land six winners from their last 24 runners.

Jockey To Follow - Hollie Doyle

Hollie Doyle has a nice book of rides on the third day of the meeting and with a few of them at nice prices she is the jockey to follow.

She rides for John & Thady Gosden in the opener on board Intinso for her retained owner Imad Alsagar and having ran a career best last time out he should go close again.

Her next ride comes in the Group Two Gimcrack Stakes over 6f and Action Point for Archie Watson was a nice winner last time out and can improve again.

Doyle's best ride of the afternoon comes in the Group One Nunthorpe Stakes on Bradsell who is looking to make it back to back wins in Group One company having landed the King Stand's Stakes last time out at Royal Ascot.

The jockeys final ride of the afternoon comes in Fillies' Handicap over 10.5f and Youngest will be looking to get back to form.

Doyle is currently running at a strike rate of 18% for the last two weeks, managing to land 11 winners from her last 62 rides.